Uber Loses Its License to Operate in London

LONDON — London’s transportation agency dealt a huge blow to Uber on Friday, declining to renew the ride-hailing service’s license to operate in its largest European market.

The decision is the latest setback for a company that has upended public transportation across much of the world by using smartphones to connect drivers with passengers. That success has helped it grow into a behemoth worth around $70 billion.

But along the way, Uber has faced an array of controversies: allegations of sexual harassment, concerns about its use of software to evade the gaze of authorities, and a reputation — fair or not — that it simply does not play by the rules.